John White Abbott facts for kids
John White Abbott (born May 13, 1763 – died 1851) was an English surgeon and apothecary. He lived in Exeter, England. He is remembered as a very talented amateur painter. He worked with both watercolour paints and oils. His watercolor style was very similar to his teacher, Francis Towne.
A Life of Art and Medicine
John White Abbott was born on May 13, 1763. His birthplace was Cowick, near Exeter in Devon, England. His family was quite wealthy. They owned many properties in Exeter. John inherited one of these estates in 1825.
He worked as a surgeon and an apothecary. An apothecary was like a pharmacist and doctor combined. Even with his busy job, he was a very keen amateur painter. He painted with both watercolors and oils. He studied art in Exeter with Francis Towne. Francis Towne was also his friend and supported his work. Abbott's watercolor style was based on Towne's.
His watercolors were usually landscape paintings. He traveled to places like the Lake District to find scenes to paint. In oil painting, he also created history paintings. When he was 62, he inherited an estate. He then retired there. In 1831, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Devonshire. This was an important local role.
Abbott showed his paintings regularly at the Royal Academy. He exhibited there between 1795 and 1805. His last recorded exhibition there was in 1822. His oil paintings were once quite famous. However, most of his work was landscape watercolors. He had a series of etchings made from his paintings. This series was almost finished when he passed away.
In 1791, he went on a sketching trip to Scotland and the Lake District. It seems that Abbott never sold any of his paintings. Most of his artworks stayed with his family until the 1900s. Even so, he was more well-known than his teacher, Francis Towne, during his lifetime. He even copied some of Towne's paintings of Italy.
Gallery
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Gowbarrow Park, Ullswater, Cumbria, watercolor, 1791
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Near the Quay, Exeter, watercolor, 1800s
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Macbeth recoiling from the apparition of the crowned child, oil, 1829
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Prospero commanding Ariel, oil, 1829
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The Remains of Exeter Castle, pen and ink on paper, 1800s
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Entrance to the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace, Exeter behind the first house in Southernhay, pen and ink on paper, 1814
Images for kids
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John White Abbott's An Italianate Landscape, an oil painting from 1800.
